Hoover Ridge Park 

Long walks are like medicine for my brain. No matter what situation I’m in a walk tends just to take the pain and wash it away. It seems like it strips my mind of any negative thoughts that have taken control. I get this sense of security from just being outside and hearing the birds and the sounds of nature surrounding me. About two years ago I started to struggle with severe anxiety. It would be so bad that my whole body would completely shut down causing me to pass out for extended periods. My therapist advised me to start taking time for myself and getting outside. Near my house is a park called Hoover Ridge. It’s filled with kids playing baseball, soccer, and softball. My serenity is found behind it all deep back into the woods. Hoover has many walking trails behind all the fields. I remember the first time I decided to try walking the trails to combat my anxiety. The drive there was so hectic. I arrived but it was like something was holding me down in the driver’s seat. My thoughts made me so scared to just get out of the car. I was so worried about what people would think and that people would start talking about me. In reality, nobody cared. I finally dragged myself out of the car and headed to the trails.

Once I got into the woods everything was drowned out. My thoughts had vanished and finally let go of the grip they were holding over me. I started walking the trail and the medicine started to work. I was finally breathing and nothing was sitting on my chest. I became a whole new person. I was finally free of the monster called anxiety. As I walked further and further into the trail the more I never wanted to leave. I would listen to every bird and every sound the worldwas making. The sounds of nature were like music. The trail splits into many different trails and on that day I walked every single trail. I knew as soon as I got back to my car the anxiety would set in again. I spent almost 5 hours there on the trails just walking and walking. For once my mind was quiet, and I was able to think without overthinking- for me that was a huge. 

I once was scared to just get out of the car and walk to the trails, but now I was almost running through the woods without a care in the world. For anyone who has experienced severe anxiety, you know how amazing it is to just be thinking about nothing. Now, every time I come home from school I immediately go to the trails. I dump everything that is stressing me out into those woods and leave with a clearer mind.